DVH Blog

Did you know that October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month? We believe one of the best ways to promote animal safety and protection is to teach children how to safely interact with animals. Pet-lovers and parents alike want children and pets to interact safely. But how do you teach a child to be gentle and respectful of animals? Here are our top tips:

1. Set a great exampleOne of the best ways we can teach children how to interact with animals is to set an example for them. Children are always watching and learning from adults and they will often mimic behavior they have seen. Set a good example for them by monitoring your own interactions with animals. This is a great way for children to learn how to be calm and gentle with animals, how to approach them and how to pet them.

September is here! Our summers are winding down and our schedules are filling up. As we transition from our lazy summer days to schedules packed with school, practice and appointments it can be stressful on us and our family, including our four-legged friends.

Separation anxiety seems to spike in the fall as our pets experience more time alone and less exercise. PetPlan conducted a survey using 4,000 of their customers, and found that 26% pet owners with kids going to school noticed their pet experienced more symptoms of separation anxiety in September. Interestingly, only 10% of families that didn't have children going to school saw a change in their pet's behavior.

When your pet's human friends return to school, it can be upsetting for them. If you're concerned your pet will be stressed by changes to their routine and extra time spent alone, keep reading. We'll review how to tell if your pet is stressed or suffering from separation anxiety, and how you can make the back-to-school transition easier on them.